On 26 February, Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH showcased the capabilities of the AEV 3 Kodiak armoured engineer vehicle during the commanders’ conference of the Polish military engineer corps.
The event, held at the Ostrowo Krzyckie military training area, was attended by representatives from the armed forces, procurement agencies, and the defence industry.
In the initial segment of the event, the Kodiak demonstrated its mobility, acceleration, and speed across various terrains. Subsequently, it demonstrated its utility in standard operations of the engineer corps, which include facilitating friendly movements and obstructing those of the enemy. This was accomplished through the use of its centrally mounted excavator arm and dozer blade.
The benefits of the innovative centre-arm design were further highlighted in other phases of the demonstration. The Kodiak first excavated an anti-tank ditch and then proceeded to repair a compromised flood dam. The pinnacle of the demonstration was its ability to traverse the previously excavated anti-tank ditch.
The AEV 3 Kodiak armoured engineer vehicle represents the sole new armoured engineer vehicle developed on the Leopard 2 main battle tank chassis, specifically tailored to meet the requirements of engineering operations. The Leopard 2 chassis, known for its balanced design and equipped with a powerful 1,100 kW drive system, provides exceptional mobility.
The Kodiak vehicle is designed to perform a diverse range of engineering, infrastructure, and support functions on the battlefield. Its capabilities encompass, but are not restricted to, minefield breaching, route denial, earthmoving tasks, and the construction or dismantling of barriers. The vehicle was initially created to meet the needs of the Swiss Army and is now also utilized by Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands and Singapore.
